A Life Reborn
by Here Though You've Forgotten
Summary: Sent to a new country with no money, no knowledge of the language, no family, and no place to stay, how can a Dutch boy and his sister thrive in the land of New Opportunities?


AN: I'm back! My inspiration left me for about four months and I couldn't write a thing. I think my muse went out dancing or something and left me at home with my computer. So I took a few months to find my runaway muse. The good news is that I have found it and I am officially back in the Newsies fanfiction universe!

Disclaimer: I don't own Newsies, and don't bother to sue me you will only get the $2.75 that is the contents of my bank account, which is not nearly enough to cover your lawyer fees. Newsies is the sole property of Walt Disney Pictures. I am making no profit from this and the only benefit I get is good reviews (hint hint)

A Life Reborn

"Erik NO! Please don't send him, please, please, My Youngest SON! PLEASE! ERIK NO!"

A small farm house in Holland shook with the sobs of Leah Derrick, as she begged her husband not to send their two youngest children to The New World. Money was tight and Erik had far too many mouths to feed. In his mind, the children could make a new life for themselves in America. With so many children to provide for, the youngest would receive next to no share in the family farm, and weren't worth the trouble of feeding, even if they could afford it.

"Leah, be reasonable! We cant afford to feed so many mouths! Is it not better for Finn and Adelaide to prosper away from us than to starve with us? Finn is a responsible boy! He will care for the girl, if that's what you are worried about!"

Instead of a new attitude, and excitement about their children's future, Erik was met by his wife's desolate stare. "Is that all they are to you? That's all anything is to you! Money and Figures, You Measure everything in bills to pay, or mouths to feed! THESE ARE OUR CHILDREN, OUR FLESH AND BLOOD. You want me to send them off to a strange country with no money, no English, and no one to raise them, AND YOU EXPECT ME TO BE REASONABLE!"

Seeing the hurt in his wife's eyes, Erik knelt beside her to comfort her. She melted into his arms and completely broke down, beside her on the cold dirt floor, Erik held her and rocked her as she shook with sobs. Pressing a kiss into her hair, Erik whispered to her, "It's the only way. If there was any other choice, I would take it, but this is their only hope for life. I'm sorry."

Six weeks later, Finn and Adelaide Derrick stood on a dock, and bid farewell to their mother. Sobbing hysterically, Leah covered their faces with kisses. I Love you, I love you, I love you. She clung to Finn and sobbed until Erik carried her away. Finn held his sister close as they watched their family get into their buggy and drive away.

Suddenly Finn became aware of how alone they were. The doors to their ship opened, and suddenly there were people everywhere. Finn and Adelaide were standing in front of the door, and all the people pouring into the ship quickly jostled them apart. "FINN! HELP!" Finn heard Adelaide's cries but was powerless to help because he couldn't see her through the throng of people. He waited and tried more or less to stay in one place until everyone else had passed. When the crowd had lessened some, Finn looked over and scanned the people, looking for his sister. When at last he found Adeline, his heart nearly stopped. She was curled up on the side of the dock, bruised and crying. "Addie!" Finn cried as he raced over to her. When he reached her he picked her up into his arms. When Finn realized she was all right, aside from a few bruises, carried her into the ship, too concerned about his sister's welfare to even notice his last view of his homeland.

A week into his journey, Finn longed for the familiar landscape of Holland. He longed for the food he had eaten at home because scarce though it was, the food on his family's table was always fresh. With eight children, food was never around long enough to become stale or moldy like all the food on the ship.

Finn had been lucky. He didn't suffer from the seasickness that almost the whole boat was overcome with. He was able to care for Adelaide, and for that he was thankful. Adelaide was one of the sickest people aboard the ship. Finn spent his days holding her hair back as she wretched over the side of the ship, and his nights watching her toss and turn. Finn wished there was something he could do, but he was powerless to help his sister. He held her hand, rubbed her back and prayed for the end of this dreadful journey.

The smells of the ship were horrendous, with many more people packed below decks than Finn and Adelaide had ever seen in their lives. The wealthy people got a bed for their whole family to share. The poor, like Finn and Adelaide found the spot of floor that they deemed the most comfortable place to spend their nights.

There was no area to bathe, so people stank. Pressed close together in the overwhelming heat, there was no escape from the stench. The groans of the ill and retching of the seasick were a constant sound that tormented all of the ship's passengers. On a calm day, people could go above decks and get some fresh air, but calm days were rare, so everyone stayed below, cramped into tiny quarters. Finn closed his eyes and listened to the sounds of the ship, the splash of waves, the creak of wood, the groans, writhing and retching of the ill, almost drowned out by the wailing of all who could speak. The whole ship prayed one prayer, one hope, one voice crying out to God, begging for deliverance from the horrors of sea, pleading for the chance to start over, for the promise of a new life in America.

Read and review, you know the drill.


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